The general rule is to always leave asbestos alone, it's usually safe unless it's damaged or disturbed.

Paint indoor materials with an alkali resistant paint such as PVA emulsion, and never sand, drill or saw asbestos materials.

Always seek advice before thinking of removing asbestos and follow the basic rules below if carrying out asbestos cement removal work. Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or large areas of Insulation Board by yourself as these materials can only be safely removed by a licensed contractor.

Sometimes it will be necessary to take a sample, for example to identify the type of asbestos. You can find details of companies to undertake this work in the phone book under 'Asbestos Products and Services' or 'Asbestos Removal'.

Safe Asbestos Cement Removal

Asbestos cement can be safely removed by remembering these basic rules:-

Prepare the work area - remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable polythene sheeting.